Perfectly Imperfect
by sapphiclexarke
Summary: The TriWizard Tournament is still the source of nightmares for everyone who had the misfortune of participating in it, and it's time for the cup to choose again.


I do not own anything Harry Potter. I only came up with some OC's. JK Rowling owns everything.

Hermione Granger, scholar, war hero, hard worker, respected member of the Ministry of Magic, was a very serious woman. She was currently walking with Harry Potter, newly appointed head of the Magical Games And Sports, down the corridor on sublevel two of the Ministry, heading for his office.

"I thoroughly hate that man!" Hermione shouted, slinging open his office door open and kicking her shoes off her feet. She walked around to his desk and put her head down on her arms. "I hate him, hate him, hate him!" she said, banging her fists up and down on the desk. 

Sally Alderton, Harry's assistant looked confused for a moment, until Harry Potter walked into the office "She's ranting about Fabius Chambers,"

"Of course, I should have known," her assistant scowled "The git is running for Minister Of Magic and is already acting like he won. It doesn't help that his grandfather was the Minister a few decades ago so he think he owns the position." She walked up to Hermione and patted her on the back, "For the sanity of all of us let's hope that you win the election". 

"You and me both." she said, waving the woman away with her hand.

Harry picked up the current issue of the Daily Prophet "Hey Hermione, just wondering have you figured out your speech for the conference?" On the front page was a picture of Draco Malfoy shaking hands with Fabius Chambers. Under that was an article about how Fabius just donated five million galleons to a war orphans college fund. The problem was that Hermione had worked hard to raise one million galleons for the same charity. She had worked for weeks, soliciting funds, raising money with silent auctions, a marathon, and other things, and the night before she was to present them with the check, Fabius offered them two million galleons, from his own money! Then Draco Malfoy announced that he was supporting Fabius in the election and donated three million dollars of his own. Now if she offered them her money, it would seem that she was copying him, and also, the fact that his donation was a million more than hers, would belittle her offer considerably.

Hermione took the paper from Harry's hand and threw it in the fireplace. "Of course I do, if I didn't then people would think that I am not fit to be minister and Fabius would be your new Minister. Would you like that, Mr. Potter? Urggg, I really do hate him, he sets my teeth on edge." 

"I'm wounded Granger, I thought we were friends." said a voice from the doorway "My feelings might have even been hurt." 

"Um...I'm just going to go...help Sally..." Harry said slowly backing towards the door.

As soon as the door closed Hermione turned to Fabius. "What do you want?" 

"Ohhh, feisty Granger. I just wanted to see if you were prepared. Annnd to give you a heads up, I'm ready for this conference. Your views against the right views, mine. Let the public see both candidates, so they can make a valued opinion on who they want as the next Minister of Magic." He sat in a chair by her desk and put his feet on the corner. 

She walked over, pushed his feet off and said, "Get out of this office!" 

"This is not your office. It's Potters. So, about our debate," he asked.

"No," she said. She pulled on his arm, to make him leave her chair. He hit her hand away.

"Stop touching me, Granger," he laughed. "I might get your germs."

"I never knew you to be a germaphobe, Chambers." She waved her hand in front of his face.

"I meant your uptight, liberal germs. Contrary to popular belief I'm not one of those Pure blood's that call muggle borns Mudbloods" he laughed. She glared at him furiously as he continued to smirk "Come now, are you still upset that my rather large donation overshadowed your little paltry donation?"

"My donation was one million galleons, and you must have had a spy or something to know which charity we were going to present it. You're despicable, and I truly hate you," she glared.

"Well what's done is done, one does not do good to dwell on the past." Fabius smirked.

He was right. She cringed. "You're right." 

"Goodness, where's the media when you need them! I'll never hear you say that one again. Our debate is next weekend, at the Milton Hotel Ballroom. You should be honored, while most people will see my victory in the Daily Prophet, you'll witness it first hand." Fabius said, standing to leave. 

Hermione snorted, sitting back in the chair, "As if." 

"You concede already? Splendid. Then may I take you out for a victory lunch? Your treat?" he asked. 

She stood up, pulling her wand from her pocket as she stormed up to him

"Listen here and listen here well Chambers because I'm only saying this once. You may think your so special because your grandfather was Minister but get this, I am prepared for this election. I have been working on this speech for months and I am prepared to win, so get your confident arse out of this office before I have Harry get security to drag you out."

He smirked again and said, "See you later, Granger." He started to leave, but turned back around and said, "Oh, and by the way, there is no need to pretend to hate me. We both know that my good looks and charm has already caught your attention, your just in denial. Send an owl when you get tired of Weasley." He turned back around and laughed as he exited her office. She picked up one of her shoes from the floor, leaned out her office doorway, and chucked it right at his head. He turned in time to catch the blasted thing, and yelled out, "Love you too Granger" He tossed the shoe in the air, caught it again, and took it with him in the lifts, still laughing for all he was worth, which was a lot.

She slammed the office door so hard that the glass in the door shattered into hundreds of pieces. 

"I'm guessing it went well?" Harry said fixing the door before giving Hermione her shoe back. 

She didn't care what anyone said, she really did hate him.

Hermione worked late into the night. She was undersecretary to the Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shaklebolt who was retiring in a few months. The Ministry decided to hold a special election to see who would replace him. For the longest time, there were no candidates, so the Minister and his cabinet decided just to name a replacement. They immediately thought of Hermione. She had worked hard for the Ministry for the last eighteen years. Done a tremendous amount of work for the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures and the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. She had her degree in law. She was young ish, that much was true, but she was dedicated and honest, two things that were often hard to come by.

On the eve of their announcement, Fabius Chambers, president and CEO of Chambers Enterprises made his plans clear that he intended to run for the position. Everyone in the Ministry, as well as most of the public, was shocked by his announcement. 

Fabius Chambers had been nothing but a media-seeking, rich, playboy who was not known for his judicious side, or for his care of politics. He would rather open a nightclub, than pass a law, but the Ministry had no choice but to open the election, and hold the special election after all.

In the beginning, Hermione was not even going to run. While she was flattered by the fact that they wanted to name her Kingsley's successor, she was going to turn them down anyway. She felt she was ready for a change in careers. She was almost 38 years old, she had kids to take care of and she didn't want to wilt away, grow old if you may, in the bowels of the Ministry of Magic. However, just the thought of Fabius Chambers winning and becoming Minister of Magic if no one ran against him, made Hermione's blood boil especially since Draco Malfoy sponsored him.

Malfoy and her had never been friends. They hated each other in school, where, by the way, Hermione was always number one and he was somewhere in the middle. It was not that he wasn't smart, he just didn't care, which in Hermione's mind was ten times worse. Now to mention he always called her names, made fun of her looks and tried to belittle her in every possible way. Then, at University, Hermione majored in Magical Law, while Malfoy majored in partying. In fact, he probably got his PHD in that blasted subject. Their paths barely ever crossed, so Hermione paid him no mind and he payed her no mind. Until he had to get involved in the campaign. Then it became personal.


End file.
